UK Government announces indefinite extension of EU’s ‘CE’ product laws
What on EARTH are they thinking? The 'CE' mark stands for “Conformité Européene”
Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2023
We are supposed to have left the EU – this is the Rejoiner Civil Service at work
Almost unbelievably, yesterday the Department for Business and Trade and its Remain-voting Minister Kevin Hollinrake MP announced “an indefinite extension” for British companies to continue to to put the EU’s ‘CE’ (‘Conformité Européene’) mark on their products after the end of 2024.
The vast majority of UK businesses do not sell to the EU, according to HMRC. And yet the Dept for Business and Trade wants to extend the validity of this EU symbol on UK products indefinitely. This in turn means that the companies using it will have to ensure their products meet all new EU rules, regulations and directives.
What is going on?
When the United Kingdom (minus Northern Ireland) finally left the EU on 31 December 2020, a new UK product conformity ‘mark’ came into being. The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking indicates conformity with the applicable requirements for products sold within Great Britain.
Since Brexit, companies in GB have been able to choose which mark they use – the EU’s ‘CE’ or the new UKCA. There is a separate mark for Northern Ireland known as the UKNI, but this can only be displayed alongside the EU’s ‘CE’ mark. This is further proof of the extent to which EU laws continue to apply in Northern Ireland.
A shocking history of repeated failures
Below we are showing the catalogue of failures by the Government and Civil Service regarding the cessation of the CE mark.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary
The poor history of rescinding the EU's 'CE' marking
- 01 Jan 2020 : Law for UKCA marking comes into force
- 01 Jan 2022 : First deadline to cease recognising the CE mark
- 31 Dec 2022 : Second deadline to cease recognising the CE mark
- 31 Dec 2024 : Third deadline to cease recognising the CE mark
- 01 Aug 2023 : Announcement that CE mark is extended indefinitely
[Sources: Official UK Government announcements.]
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Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said yesterday:
“The Government is tackling red tape, cutting burdens for business, and creating certainty for firms – we have listened to industry, and we are taking action to deliver.
“By extending CE marking use across the UK, firms can focus their time and money on creating jobs and growing the economy.”
Toys ‘R’ EU
Only on Friday (28 Jul 2023), the unelected EU Commission announced they will be introducing new and additional Regulations governing toys. By the UK Government retaining the CE mark indefinitely, this means UK suppliers will have to abide by these new rules. British MPs will have no say over these.
One implication will be that British toy-makers will be required to have an EU-approved ‘Digital Product Passport’ for every toy they produce, in addition to obeying many other new EU rules.
Some of the UK’s retained EU laws that will now have to be updated
Below we list some of the EU laws which apply to products, together with the applicable UK retained law. Under the Government’s original plans, any EU Retained Laws not otherwise amended would have been – by default – scrapped at the end of this year. This promise itself has now been scrapped.
Brexit Facts4EU and CIBUK asked former Brexit Minister and current Deputy Chairman of the ERG, the Rt Hon David Jones MP, to comment on our report
“One of the principal reasons the UK voted to leave the EU was to develop its own regulatory system, more suited to British conditions.
“The vast majority of UK firms don’t export to the EU, yet are now apparently expected to use the CE mark indefinitely. That means a continued dynamic adherence to EU standards, even when they are unsuited to British conditions.
“This announcement is fairly obviously the work of Remain forces within the civil service. Ministers should think twice about it and ensure that British businesses are relieved of the burdensome regulation that rolls unremittingly out of the Brussels red tape factory."
List of some of the EU laws and their UK equivalents
Observations
This is not what we voted for
It is regrettable that in his very short statement yesterday, the Remain-voting Business Minister, Kevin Hollinrake MP completely misses the point. In the largest democratic vote in British history the British people voted to ‘take back control’.
Instead we have another example of the Government deciding to keep large parts of the GB and NI economies glued to EU laws, directives, rules, and regulations. It is ignominious that we shall all be buying British products indefinitely with the EU’s ‘Conformité Européene’ stamped on them.
No-one is suggesting that we should not continue to have UK laws on product safety. These were natural targets for possible revision, not repeal. The point is that this should have been decided by UK bodies, endorsed by UK lawmakers, in the national interest.
Instead we will now be wedded to the laws, regulations, directives and rules of the European Union Commission, ad infinitum.
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[ Sources: Dept for Business and Trade | EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Wed 02 Aug 2023
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